Nigerian music superstar Asake finally made his much-anticipated appearance at Nyayo Stadium as part of his Mr Money African Tour, pulling in thousands of excited Kenyan fans eager to witness the hitmaker perform live.
Despite the massive turnout and an energetic performance that thrilled the crowd, the event was overshadowed by serious challenges, including heavy rainfall and chaotic scenes at the stadium gates as revellers struggled to gain entry.
The situation at the entrance became increasingly tense, prompting concerns over crowd safety. Citizen TV news presenter Immanuel Ndungu, who attended the concert as a fan, later gave a detailed account of how the chaos unfolded.
According to Ndungu, large crowds had already gathered early at the main entrance, but the available access points were too small to handle the numbers.
Security personnel had initially organised two queues — a shorter one for men and a slightly longer one for women.
However, the arrangement quickly collapsed as impatient fans began pushing forward and forming new lines.
“It was no longer two orderly lines anymore because people started trying to push in and make new lines. It was a big mob lining up outside the gate,” Ndungu explained.
Matters worsened when security temporarily halted entry for about 30 minutes. As more people arrived, tensions escalated, and frustration spread through the crowd.
Law enforcement officers reportedly intervened in an attempt to restore order, allegedly using force, which only heightened panic and confusion.
Stewards later tried to manage the situation by allowing small groups of about ten people to enter at a time. Instead of calming the crowd, the move triggered more pushing and surging as fans desperately tried to get inside the venue.
Amid the confusion, unverified reports emerged suggesting at least one fatality, though no official confirmation was immediately provided.
Despite the troubling scenes at the gates, the concert itself eventually went on and was largely successful.
However, the gate chaos left organisers under heavy criticism, raising fresh questions about crowd control, security planning, and safety measures at large-scale entertainment events in Kenya.
However, Ndungu added that, unlike previous occurrences, the majority of those who breached security had purchased tickets.
“Most people there were discussing how they had paid for their tickets. People opted to simply breach through the security to ensure everyone’s safety.
To be honest, if that had not happened, the outcome may have been considerably worse,” he remarked. He also uploaded video footage of congestion in a tunnel going into the stadium, depicting scenes of panic and despair.
“I suppose at this point, paramedics went to at least one person. As you walked by, you’d see girls crying, shoes and possessions abandoned because people wanted to get out of that scenario,” he said.
By tuko